


Army of Angels

by Kicchin



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Akashi Seijuurou & Kuroko Tetsuya Friendship, Akashi being Akashi, Akashi is the younger than Furihata, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Angels, Childishness, F/M, Heaven and Hell Roman Company inspired, Insecurities, Kagami's parents are supportive af, M/M, Nephilim, Older Furihata, Possessive Behavior, Tsunderima, akashi is an angel, nephilim Furihata, slight racism, takao is a little shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-16 05:46:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13629912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kicchin/pseuds/Kicchin
Summary: Destructive, powerful and at the same time beautiful and warm, Akashi Seijuuro is the perfect angel. Logically, everything he ever want is within arm's reach, and yet he is proven wrong upon meeting a simple, meek brunet nephilim. Just how much is he willing to discard to get this one thing he has ever desired this much in his entire life?Inspired by the korean manwhua Heaven and Hell Roman Company!





	1. Angels

"Thank you for hard work!"

Kuroko Tetsuya along with his partner Kagami Taiga bow to the brunette sitting behind her desk, her smile is wide an quite suspicious—if one knows her well enough, they'd understand what her smile feels like. The angel Aida Riko claps her hand together seeing the pristine report in her desk, luckily things went smoothly today, unlike most days.

She looks up at the two employees, the taller and bigger built is an angel of passion, Kagami Taiga. The angel came from an average family, his mother a cherub and his father a seraph. His fiery red hair and intimidating height added to his seemingly perpetual frown borderline glare often is mistaken for features of a demon decent. Standing beside the red head angel is his partner, the hybrid Kuroko Tetsuya. Unlike Kagami, the teal haired, soft-spoken, blue-eyed hybrid is often mistaken for a pureblood angel. Though his physical appearance takes after his angel decent, his powers rely mostly of his demon decent.

At first no one thought the two polar opposite can work together in peace, Kagami didn't have control and had too much power, he intimidated anyone who comes close to him while Kuroko often desired to stay in the background. However, they were proven wrong quickly when the two in a span of three days became one of Teiko's formidable partners in the field.

After the Great War, angels and demons found them almost no purpose, mankind become too independent and rarely ever asked for help—both from God and the Devil himself. It didn't take long until both parties were left with no tasks to handle. So God lit an idea, a new movement, instead of taking care humans, God focused on their creations, the universes and realms created by them.

Demons and angels started to work together to control and maintain the balance of the realms by securing the mankind's creations. Their ideas are sealed and contained if they pose threat to the realms, and reinforced if possible, and that is exactly what Kagami Taiga and Kuroko Tetsuya do.

There are some angels and demons who decided to take this job instead of the conventional ones, but due to high difficulty the numbers of the employees are not big enough. The job demands a partner basis work as well, mankind creations tend to have quite a power depending on how much a human puts their mind into it. Every unit require one angel and a demon at least, the angel acts as the Reinforcer while the demon acts as the Restraint—if needed.

Well there are special instances when those two roles may be switched—like Kuroko and Kagami.

Thinking about it always seem to induce Aida a migraine, though Kagami is an angel decent he can be quite  _passionate_  about things and ends up using more of  _brawls_  than actual reinforcement, meanwhile though Kuroko wields the power of a demon he  _rarely_  ever use them and seems always to resort to reinforcement believing that humans are rational creatures and if properly addressed to can change. The confusing structure of the two's partnership often caused quite a problem, it is either they finish the job or they argue before it is even done. However, despite numerous disputes between the two, whenever they were given the chance to switch partners they would refuse.

"How is it?" Aida asked as he takes the report and read through them, "Any difficulties?"

"All is well Aida-san," Kuroko answers, his cold and monotonous voice would remind anyone of winter, "If you do not count the part where Kagami-kun nearly broke the neck of the—"

"It was a frustrated and perverted old man, he  _tried_  to smother you!"

 _Here they go again_ , Aida almost rolls her eyes. She shouldn't have asked knowing this is definitely where all of this will lead. Aida looks at the two, no matter how they say they don't care what happens to the other on the field their actions contradicts their words.

"You could have just talked to him, surely he will listen to reason, he's a creation of mankind and I'm sure he has the same rationality as his creator."

"How can you talk to him if he's licking your face?!"

"That is an exaggeration, which certainly did not happen."

Kagami groan loudly, Aida could only smile awkwardly. The brunette wonder if it's bad that she seems to have gotten used to this. Knowing their bickering won't probably end until a few more minutes, Aida gets up from her seat and walks to get herself a cup of tea. She hums idly trying to block the two's noises from getting in her brain.

Well she guesses she has to be thankful that the creation is only  _nearly_  broken and now contained safely thanks to Kuroko. A broken creation is more tedious especially if it wasn't  _life-threatening_ , she would have written an unnecessarily long explanation if that happened. She turns around to look again at the two, surprise, surprise they're not done yet. She takes a sip from her tea and watches them, whenever they're at each other's necks, they seem to forget about the rest of the world which is really romantic if it weren't the fact that Kagami looks like he'll snap the hybrid's neck at any given time.

 _Oh._  Aida smiles, she notices the brief twitch of the teal haired hybrid's eyebrow, she knows him long enough to know what will happen next—

_Blag_

Aida could only shake her head, the idiot angel should have known not to piss of the teal haired hybrid. Kagami crouches on the floor nursing his side that Kuroko just jabbed, Aida is starting to think that this punching, jabbing, kicking and sudden aggressive explosions are innate to demon decents even if they look quite unsuspecting.

"Damn it Kuroko you—"

"You deserved that." Kuroko says, "I am merely stating that we could have done it without having to resort to violence."

"Wasn't that violence you did to me just now?!" Kagami says groaning.

Despite Kuroko small and petite form, he can inflict pain if he puts his mind to it a trait that stems from his demon decent. Kagami looks up from his position, Kuroko looks back with his seemingly never changing expression, his beautiful blue eyes betrays his actual intentions. The angel curses the fact Kuroko can look so gentle and calm as a demon and he a proper angel seems to give everyone a chill in the spine.

"Good morni—"

Everyone turns to the doorway when the door slams open and a familiar loud voice greets them. Aida feels a sweat drops to the side of her face, this scene is starting to become a routine in her office. Standing there by the door is the angel Takao Kazunari, one of the toughest Reinforcers and veteran of Teiko Reinforcement Unit.

Takao skips towards the duo, he's one of the few who believed the two's partnership will work out. His smile never seems to fade no matter what situation he's put into which is why a lot of them are suspicious of him—not to mention the fact that he loves to play pranks on them. The raven haired angel is said to have come from a large and long line of angels, they were quite close to the archangels during the time of Great War, and once even held a high position in leading the angels against the demons.

But the story of war has long ended and Takao Kazunari just  _loves_  the peace.

"So is this you two's new kink?" Takao says as he kneels beside Kagami.

The red haired angel blushes to the tips of his nose and moves away. Takao laughs and turns to Kuroko to greet the hybrid to who greets back politely.

"The hell Takao!" Kagami exclaims, "Stop with those  _stuff_."

Takao chuckles and turns to face Kagami, "What  _stuff_?"

"T-Those—"

"He meant the teasing." Kuroko says with a sigh, "Kagami-kun has a feeble heart he may not be able to take them."

"Kuroko you bas—who's side are you on anyways?!"

Kuroko blinks and simply shrugs making Takao laugh. The raven haired angel walks to Kagami and pats the angel's shoulder—a sarcastic gesture of comfort which he probably didn't need from the angel right now.

"Cheer up!" Takao says, "You two were just really  _close_  recently and I just suddenly felt like teasing."

Kagami shrugs Takao's hand and stands up. Takao follows his suite and grins before walking towards Aida. Kagami doesn't say anything and walks beside Kuroko, their earlier dispute now forgotten. The two watches quietly as Takao say something in a low voice, if it was a secret or confidential matter, the raven haired angel would have asked them to leave but he didn't. Kagami watches quietly and notices Aida's expression change to shock.

Takao chuckles and moves away, "Well it's nearing Halloween anyways, and there's Kuroko-kun surely it'll be okay."

Kuroko blinks and tilts his head to the side. Takao and Aida looks at him.

"What is it?" Kuroko asks.

"Well it seems like a new recruit is coming to the department." Aida explains as she glances at Takao.

Takao hums in agreement.

"Isn't that good." Kagami says crossing his arms over his chest, "After all, during Halloween we become busier with mankind's creation. Sometimes I hope they don't create too much horror ideas during Halloween."

Takao chuckles, "Well you can't tell them not to—it's free will anyways."

"What do I have to do with this?" Kuroko asks.

Takao's smile disappears and he sighs, a  _deep_ sigh. Takao is one of the Head of the Placement Unit which facilitates most of the pairs and sends each to their specific tasks.

"Well you see this new recruit is quite troublesome." Takao admits.

Just thinking about it, Takao braces himself for more trouble ahead. He walks towards the pair and stops behind Kuroko. Kuroko doesn't move and remains facing ahead.

"I don't really want to deal with him but it can't be helped!"

"Why, who is it anyways?" Kagami asks, "Sounds like a creep to me."

Takao nods vehemently at Kagami, the gesture suggests to Kagami that Takao and the new guy doesn't seem in good terms.

"Did you do something to him?" Kagami asks suspiciously.

"N-Not really, but you see this guy came from a military family, his father, grandfather, and great great grandfather fought for the Great War and most of them were high ranking officials during then. His family is quite known for being rigidly maintaining their all angel pureblood." Takao explains.

"So…like a—

_Knock knock_

Takao feels a shiver run up his spine, okay, maybe he didn't anticipate it would  _now_. Takao hid behind Kagami as Aida opens the door and greets the new guests.

Aida blinks at Kiyoshi Teppei, the towering angel smiles to greet his former partner. Aida returns the gesture before her eyes are quickly caught by the very noticeable mop of scarlet locks. The brunette moves out of the way and allows the two to come in while she follows with her gaze the young angel beside Kiyoshi.

His presence dominates the room, Aida notices. His scarlet hair is bright like the color of sunset and blood oranges, though he isn't as tall as Kagami or Kiyoshi his presence equals the two angels.

Mismatched eyes quickly fall to the raven head hiding behind Kagami.

"Hello Takao- _san_."

 _Shit_ , Takao curses. Well it can't be helped, he thought as he moves to show himself, he smiles and waves to the young Akashi, his red hair is just like his mother's while his mismatched eyes just goes well with their family's frightening reputation. He is young compared to many of the recruits—probably except for Kuroko—however his power and aptitude surpasses most of them. It is no question why Teiko would take him in despite his  _personality._

"W-Well hello Akashi-kun, you've grown quite handsomely." Takao says awkwardly.

Akashi Seijuuro chuckles which instinctively made Takao and Kagami flinch. It sounds more like a maniac's laugh more than a genuine joyful one.

"It's been a while, yes." He takes a deep breath before continuing, "I apologize, it seems that I may need a new partner."

"Yeah, that's why we're here." Kiyoshi says.

Takao does his best to smile, actually, he knows that. He was surprised to hear a recruit coming over to his office and begging Takao to change his partner or at least let him resign, which doesn't happen very often. When Takao answered he'd look into it, the poor angel cried and resigned right then.

Kiyoshi smiles and gestures to Akashi, "This is our new recruit, Akashi Seijuuro, he will be working in our unit from now on."

Kuroko bows his head in greeting not even batting an eye.

"Welcome Akashi-kun."

Akashi is quiet for a moment before he starts to speak again.

"I almost didn't recognize you,  _Tetsuya._ "

Kuroko straightens up and looks straight at his cousin's familiar mismatched eyes. It has been a while since they last saw each other, and Kuroko had to admit he was quite  _very_  young last time he remembers.

"Y-You know each other?" Kagami asks.

Kuroko nods to answer his partner's question. It finally make sense, this is perhaps what Takao meant when he said he may need Kuroko's help. Looking at his cousin, he guesses the trouble he brought is his personality which probably hasn't change since he last saw him.

"Ah, I'm glad." Akashi says, "I thought this place has nothing but  _lowly_  demons."

Kagami frowns at that, he turns and looks towards the scarlet haired angel. His anger quickly seeps through the air.

"Could it be you brought me here to meet Tetsuya?" Akashi asks with a smile, he reaches towards the teal haired hybrid, "I'm glad you pick the—"

Akashi's eyes widen as Kagami grabs Kuroko and pulls him to his back before the scarlet haired angel could ever touch the other, the angel of passion stares with hostility at him. Akashi blinks and slowly something clicks to his mind. He chuckles and looks at his cousin who is passively looking at the angel in front of him.

"Don't worry." He says, "I'm not interested in  _hybrids_."

The term earned Kuroko's attention, the teal haired hybrid stares at his cousin with a frown. Instead of appeasing Kagami, the red head only grew more furious. He lets go of Kuroko and charges towards the scarlet head angel—

"Stop." Takao says putting an arm out between the two angels.

Kagami clicks his tongue and moves away, he's not supposed to hurt an angel especially inside their own building. Kuroko walks to Kagami's side and puts a hand on the other's arm, he shakes his head assuring the angel he is alright. Kagami sighs and relaxes himself.

"Kuroko won't be your partner unfortunately." Takao says.

Aida walks towards them and nods in agreement.

"Kuroko is arranged to be Kagami's partner unless one of them requests otherwise." Aida explains.

"I wish to be teamed with someone competent enough to match me." Akashi says, "I cannot simply accept anyone you will give me."

"We know." Aida answers, "Don't worry we have at least  _one_  employee that has no partner until now."

.

.

.

.

Aida quietly walks Akashi to the Horror Zone, the young angel seems to live up to his reputation, even looking at him one would certainly know he came from an affluent family. Kuroko explained that Akashi's mother is his mother's sister, they were ultimately  _cousins_. However unlike the angel of dusk, Akashi's mother, the angel of winter, Kuroko's mother fell for a demon. The Akashi family always brought their children to the principles held by their predecessors.

The Akashi family traditionally are  _soldiers_  and leaders, they prioritized the purity of their bloodline and the power that passes to each, it's not surprising that each generation becomes more and more powerful.

"Ah, we're here." Aida says.

The brunette opens the door and gestures for the young recruit to follow her.

"Furihata-kun are you busy?" Aida asks the figure sitting crouching on the floor and fixing a small containment box.

The figure stands up and faces the two. Brown locks disarray and sticking everywhere while soft mocha eyes stares back at Aida. Blinking, the small hybrid quickly bows to greet them.

Akashi frowns, he's not just a demon-angel hybrid…he's—

"Furihata-kun, this is Akashi-kun he'll be in your care from now on."


	2. Tyrant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS STORY IS INSPIRED BY KOREAN WEBTOON/MANWHUA HEAVEN AND HELL ROMAN COMPANY by MUM

"He's lucky he's born in the age of peace." Takao says as he flops down on the couch inside their cafeteria.

Kagami sighs as he looks down on the disposable cup in his hand, he stares at the bottom of the cup, honestly there isn't anything interesting about it, it is simply much better than thinking about what happened earlier. His body ached from the urge to take down the smaller angel and land a punch or two. However he knew at heart it will not make his partner feel any better.

Takao watches quietly, silence is  _never_  Kagami's thing. Ever since the red head started working for Teiko, he has been quite known for his short temper and loud voice.

Inevitably, he is the exact opposite of his partner.

Kuroko's background and family history is not fresh information to Takao anymore. Kuroko's parents were quite a controversial pair, his mother the Angel of Winter came from a very long line of angels, they were praised for mostly their beauty. Some of them were even muses of humans to their creations, thought to be the epitome of an angel's grace. They were well respected. Meanwhile, Kuroko's father is the least person anyone would have guessed to capture the heart of the Angel of Winter.

Kuroko's father was one of the most influential demons of his time, he once participated as well in the Great War, the demon of darkness and shadow. Though he didn't have too extensive of a reputation, he was  _still_  a demon, someone deemed  _unacceptable_ for Kuroko's mother's family. Their relationship became quite a hot topic for many rigid and traditional angel and demon families.

Soon, the Angel of Winter separated herself from her own family to be with her demon husband, and they made their own home and Kuroko Tetsuya became their son.

Even after Kuroko's birth the issue didn't leave them, they are treated as  _outcasts_  by Kuroko's maternal family which probably contributed to Kuroko's cold and stoic demeanour towards almost everyone, and incidentally, Kuroko's cousin from maternal side arrived.

Takao follows Kagami by his gaze as the towering angel downed the cup of water in one gulp.

Kagami probably has become aware of Kuroko's situation, perhaps instinctively or Kuroko had told him once. The two had become  _impossibly_  close through the short span of their partnership, despite their small quarrels they were inseparable. Even if Kagami often voiced how often their personalities clashes, the fact that he is direly concerned of his partner is not something that needs words for.

"You shouldn't worry too much though." Takao says.

Kagami turns to face him, eyebrows furrow.

"I don't get it," Kagami starts, "Why is Kuroko's decent such a big deal, so what if he's a hybrid."

"Well not everyone has accepted the new age, Kagami." Takao answers.

Kagami groans, his frown instinctively deepens. Teiko thankfully has been quite accepting with hybrids, racial discrimination has no place in the company which suited Kagami's ideals. The red head grew up in a warm and dynamic family, he grew up in a diverse neighbourhood of angels, demons and hybrids. He despised the thought of anyone judging another according to their decent and origin.

Kagami sighs, and runs a hand through his hair.

Oh well.

"Kuroko can handle this much." Kagami says—for himself.

.

.

.

Akashi stares.

A hybrid but not just any kind of hybrid— _a nephilim ._ It is rare he has survived to this day, nephilims are rarer than any other hybrids, during the days before the Great War they were considered most tainted among the impure. They were hunted and caged—if not  _killed_.

An angel who produces a nephilim is no longer considered simply an  _angel_ , they were known as the  _fallen angels_. They are no longer angels but not a demon either. The nephilim becomes an angel, a part demon, and human. Their wings are small, disabling them from flying, and ashen in color.

Furihata Kouki is a nephilim, and it couldn't possible any worse than this.

"He's one of the strongest employees!" Aida exclaims to Akashi with a proud grin.

Akashi find that hard to believe, the short haired brunet, blushes under his stare and bows his head meekly, his hands are trembling, his shoulders slack. Anyone could obviously see this nephilim lacks confidence. His stance reeks of anxiousness. How can someone like him be strong?

"I know you might be doubting." Aida says as she puts a hand over Furihata's shoulder, "Ah but as you can see, Furihata is one of the very few people who can work perfectly fine without a partner and I guess that says a lot about him."

"U-Uhm, i-it's probably just—"

Aida shakes her head cutting the brunet off, "Nah, I know you'll just say some self-deprecating statement."

The brunet smiles awkwardly at Aida.

"Well then, let's see if you two work out as team then?" Aida says with a smile, "Akashi, I'll leave you to Furihata's care, alright."

Akashi smiles despite his disbelief in Aida's words. Well, he can test and see the truth for himself, yes? He turns to meet the mocha brown eyes of the hybrid, who turns to look at him. Red paints the brunet's cheeks as he bows his head to Akashi.

"I-I'll be in your care." Furihata says, his voice breaking.

Akashi supresses a laugh, he somehow reminds the angel of a small quivering animal placed before a mighty creature.

"Shouldn't it be me saying that Furihata- _san?_ "

Aida claps her hand, and a sickening sweet smile paints her face, she pats Furihata's shoulder.

"Furihata-kun, good luck!"

.

.

.

Akashi looks around, the Horror Department if Furihata's very own department, surprisingly the trembling nephilim was given quite a large Department all to himself. However, this facts doesn't seem to convince Akashi still. He mostly blabber, he trips in his words and stutters, he looks flustered and unsure of what exactly he is doing.

There doesn't seem anything quite surprising about this nephilim—except that he is a nephilim.

It bothers him though, Akashi quietly thinks as he follows closely behind the brunet. He wonders if the job in this department is easy, Furihata's frame doesn't seem too far from Kuroko's, he looks quite ordinary as well. Maybe he was tricked?

"Usually it's peaceful but you have to be careful still."

Akashi pulls his best  _fake_  smile, well he'll just have to find a way to get a  _better_  partner late—

_Rustling_

Akashi's eyes widen as he feels a fast and powerful presence charging towards him. Turning to his side, the scarlet haired angel put his arms before him to protect him from the strange whipping aura. Before he knows it feels a powerful force throwing him across the room, he feels his back comes in contact with the wall of the room and breaks it.

His senses heightened quickly, his body went on full alert instinctively.

He shouldn't have let his guard down.

He feels a scrape and two in his arms from the impact, he braced himself to fight off the creature that just attacked him. He look up to identify the opponent, it must have been a strong creature to be able to throw him at such distance.

_Kreeee!_

Akashi blinks, he couldn't believe his eyes.

The massive strange black dog sat before Furihata, it's tails wagging happily as the Nephilim stroke the creature's snout. The creature seems to lean against his touch.

"Please don't do that." He says to the creature, the creature lowers his head, its ears flop down, "I know you didn't mean it, but please be more careful next time?"

Akashi is lost for word. He's speaking to the creature as if it is not a towering seven feet and hundred pounds. His sweet smile doesn't show any fear towards the bigger creature, and the creature bows it's head in submission—which doesn't make sense at all.

"We'll play later, can you go back to your container?"

The creature lifts its big head and nods before bumping its nose against the side of Furihata's head. The massive creature turns and without any difficulty returns back to its container, a box no more than a quarter of its height. Furihata is able to make the enormous black dog return quietly to its place without even conjuring a force, he barely even moved to his spot.

Impressed doesn't even begin the feeling filling the scarlet angel, the juncture where his back and wings meet tingles with a strange sensation, he somehow feels a primal urge to spread them out and show how equally impressive he is. However the urge is quickly overwhelmed by the sight of the brunet running towards him, the blush returns to the brunet's face painting his cheeks, his lanky limbs almost makes him trip over. His mocha eyes are wide with concern.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

Akashi nods, "Yes, I was simply surprised."

Furihata bows his head in apology, "U-Uh I-I'm sorry about that, i-it happens, that was a version of a demon hound , Hiro-chan."

"Hiro?"

Furihata nods enthusiastically however his smile is short lived when his eyes shifts to Akashi's arm. His eyes widen at the scratches and cuts in the angel's arm.

"You're wounded!"

Akashi shakes his head and tries to cover the injury with his other hand.

"This is nothing to be worr—"

"It would be bad to let it be, w-we should uhm—t-the clinic is c-close b-but i-if you don't mind, my dorm is not too far."

Something clicks in Akashi's mind. He removes his hand from his injury and smiles at the brunet.

"Well, if you insist."

…

Akashi looks around the room, Furihata Kouki seems to be more leaning towards his human side more than his angelic nature. Leaning against the room are numerous shelves filled with books, there are even some of the books scattered on the floor, and on top of the tables. However despite this the room smells far from an old library, the room's scent somehow reminded Akashi of cinnamon.

He hears Furihata closes the medical kit, the brunet is sitting beside Akashi in the simple red couch in the middle of the room. Akashi looks down at his bandaged arm, well it didn't really need bandaging but it the brunet insisted fearing any sort of infection.

"Are these…books?" Akashi asks curiously.

Furihata wraps his slender arms around the box of medical supplies and nods. He smiles sheepishly.

"M-My mother, I-I wanted to be somehow close to her." Furihata explains, "She was a mortal and she loved to read."

Akashi hums in contemplation, "So your father is an angel?"

Furihata nods, "A fallen angel."

Akashi knows that however he decides not to comment on it. He looks at Furihata who pulls the box of medical kit to himself, he props his chin on top of the box looking ahead, across the room, at the shelves. The scarlet haired angel couldn't help but realize how simple the brunet's features are. His skin is slightly tanner than his, his lips were slightly chapped, and the red blush in his cheeks seems to love being there. His eyebrows are thin and his mocha brown eyes aren't that exceptional if it weren't for the fact that it seems to be lit in some kind of brilliance reserve only for angels…and yet it is different, not entirely pure yet not tainted.

He's strong, Akashi realizes. This is what they meant, he's strength does not lie in force but something else, something…deeper.

"I-I guess I like them, humans are really amazing." He says as a smile breaks in his lips, "There are just so much possibility, it's endless."

"Hm."

"Well, I guess it's just that I don't want them to be forgotten too."

Akashi turns his eyes off the hybrid, he's probably being modest. He's trying to be sound humble.

"You can say that because you're strong."

"A-Ah, t-that's…not really, uhm A-Aida-san is there a-and K-Kagami."

_Liar_. Akashi says, he finds himself frowning at the thought. He glances again at Furihata, the brunette is wwaving his hand in dismissal explain himself, enumerating all the other angels and hybrids in the company that is  _'way better than'_  himself. Akashi didn't like that, how stupid, he should know he's strong.

And such power, that strength… _its drawing him in_.

Akashi leans closer to the brunet, the angel hears the other's breath hitches at the proximity. His blush seems to increase, and he leans back. Akashi didn't let him and held his hands over his head quickly, it's not difficult given the fact that the angel is obviously taller and powerful than the other.

"A-Akashi-s-san w-what are you—"

"Furihata- _san_."

"Y-Yes?"

Akashi looks down at the smaller body beneath him, so small yet so full of…

He breathes in, somehow the air is becoming sweeter.

"I apologize, I must admit I have undermined you." Akashi starts. "But you are more than enough to be my partner."

"E-Eh?"

Akashi watches in interest as Furihata's brown orbs stares at him in confusion, his thin and slightly chapped lips tremble as he speaks. Akashi moves one of his hand to the brunet's chest, he feels him shudder under his touch. He smirks at the sight of the brunet's exposed stomach, his shirt have slipped from its tuck from the black slacks. Slowly Akashi slides his gloved hand to Furihata's stomach.

"Allow me to borrow this from you."

The brunet blinks, "M-My s-stomach?"

Akashi chuckles, ah, is he truly nephilim? He seems more like a clueless cherub.

The angel leans closer, his nose only an inch away from the other. Akashi could practically taste the other's breathe, and he could barely wait to properly capture those lips and moist them himself.

"More than your stomach, what is inside it."

"I-Inside m-my st-stomach?"

Akashi smirks, he leans back.

"I am sure you have heard, my family prioritizes a strong bloodline. That is why I am asking you."

Furihata gasps as Akashi puts a pressure in his hand against his stomach. The brunet's eyes looks at Akashi's hand right there, he could hear his heart beating loudly in his ears, alarm rings loud inside him telling him of an incoming danger in the form of a charming scarlet haired angel.

"Carry my child."

Furihata's eyes quickly shot towards Akashi, did he hear that right?

"W-W-What?!"

Furihata feels his face burn a hundred degrees. Mixture of feelings fills him as he stares at Akashi's mismatched eye. There are frighteningly no signs of the angel saying this out of jest which makes it even more difficult. He is  _dead_  serious.

"B-But I-I am a guy!"

Akashi chuckles, "It doesn't matter, does it? You are partly an angel and angels are androgynous."

Furihata feels his heart races faster, if can't even look away even if he wants to. Akashi's mismatched eyes held his gaze at place. And he is making a very difficult argument.

"B-But y-your f-family are v-very strict w-with uhm…they wouldn't want someone like me, I-I'm a hybrid a-and the child would be…"

"The child would be a halfblood, still an angel." Akashi answers.

Akashi slowly loosen his grip from Furihata's arm, and instead of pushing him away, the brunet turns his head away, one hand over his quivering lips. Well that's a good sign, the angel thought to himself. It seems that the hybrid isn't very much repulsed of his proposal. Unconsciously, Akashi's hand moves to touch the brunet's stray locks, they reminded him of the color of powdered cinnamon.

"I-I am… _very_  old."

Akashi sighs, he can be stubborn can't he?

"It does not matter." Akashi says, "Angels do not age, and surely so are you since you are a nephilim."

When Furihata doesn't move away, Akashi decided he might have to ask.

"Well then, how old are you?"

Furihata shyly looks at Akashi, his eyes glazed with unshed tears from embrassment and anxiousness. He answers the angel's question in a hushed voice, just loud enough for Akashi to hear.

The angel blinks.

"You are…older than my father." Akashi says unable to keep his thoughts to himself.

Furihata breathes a sigh of relief, finally something to keep the angel off the thought of having a child with him.

Well truth to be told, it is not as if Furihata despised the idea. Anyone who knew Akashi or have seen him probably would admit the scarlet haired angel is  _beautiful_ and to have this angel's child would surely be most angel's dream but—its too good to be true for a nephilim like him. Akashi deserves someone as equally beautiful as him, someone that can surely give him beautiful little fledglings one day—not him. He is old and plain, he is even a nephilim!

"Ah but that doesn't matter." Furihata snaps back to reality when he hears Akashi's voice. His eyes widen as he found the angel leaning dangerously close to him with a smile. "After all, you do like me, yes?"

"Eh... _Eh?!_ "

Akashi chuckles, he watches with amusement as furihata starts to wave his hand, he tries to avoid Akashi's eyes which obviously doesn't work because he would still look back to him.

"M-My face, i-it's just uhm—I-I'm always like this a-and if that g-gave you an idea I-I swear i-it's not like that." The nephilim tries to wreck his brain with good plausible excuses but Akashi's gaze does not help as his rational side seems to melt under his stare. "I-Its n-not like i-I am saying that you are u-unattractive, I-I seriously think t-that you are very g-gorgoeous, a-and your eyes are the m-most beautiful pair I-I've seen in my entire life a-and y-you're really powerful a-and strong I—"

Chuckles.

Akashi leans closer, his gloved hand is back to caressing the brunet's stomach.

"It's fine." He says in a low voice, "You don't have to really like me."

"E-Eh?"

Akashi smiles as he leans close to Furihata's ear. The brunet shudders as he breathes out against his skin.

"I have plenty of time to make you fall in love with me." he whispers.

Furihata's eyes widen, this is definitely too fast!

He feels Akashi kisses his neck and nips at the column of his throat. His mind is screaming for help of some sort, but he couldn't seem to push the other away. As Akashi becomes more bolder, his hands slowly travels down to the waistband of his slacks.

"W-Wait!" Furihata says.

He  _needs_  to do something, the brunet puts his hand against Akashi's chest but before he could even push him, the brunet finds a shadow looming over them.

.

.

.

_SMACK_

_._

_._

_._

"What are you doing?"

Kuroko passively looks at his cousin sitting across him in the cafeteria. The red head reaches to the back of his head where the teal haired hybrid hit him with a leather bound encyclopaedia earlier. Kuroko takes the cup of warm milk beside him on the table and quietly sips from it.

"I should be the one asking you that." Kuroko says.

"Well isn't that quite self-explenatory."

Kuroko sighs and puts his cup back to the table, "You do realize that's a crime, yes?"

"Hm." Akashi simply answers, he looks at his bandage arm, "I was about to stop anyways."

Kuroko stares at his cousin in disbelief. His words aren't very convincing.

"Well, isn't this how you approach someone you think that is a suitable match for you?"

Kuroko feels his eyebrow twitch.

"I wonder how your parents brought you up Akashi-kun."

"Well, isn't this how Kagami walked up to you?"

Kuroko frowns at the mention of the red haired angel. His cousin is clearly teasing.

"I have no idea what you are implying, however, if you must know Kagami-kun is not like you."

Kuroko stands up and Akashi follows the teal head hybrid out of the cafeteria.

"Please, it is as if it is not obvious that you admire that angel."

"And if indeed I do?" Kuroko simply answers. "It is something that is between us."

"Then he is more mate?"

Kuroko's long patience seems to thin incredibly quick in his cousin's presence. He wonders if its due to his demon blood which is repulsed of Akashi's traditional views and well, personality or it is simply because Akashi Seijuuro in general can be quite handful.

"No."

"How come?"

Kuroko turns to face Akashi, a frown clear in his usual stoic face.

"How come you are interested in Furihata-kun?" Kuroko says, "A few hours ago you acted as if hybrids were plagues, and now you speak as if none of that ever happened."

Akashi is quiet for a moment before he smiles.

"Perhaps I have simply fallen in love with him?"


	3. Latch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS, KUDOS AND BOOKMARKS!!!

Kagami stares at the white ceiling above him, he wasn't paying much attention today and ended up coming an hour early to work. He sighs to himself as he lies in his back in the couch in their cafeteria. The emptiness of the room somehow puts a heavy feeling in him, like there is a hole right in his chest. It's been a day since Kuroko's strange cousin started working with them, Kuroko has been quite observant and concerned of the other quietly glancing to him whenever he is in the vicinity. Maybe it's just a familiar concern, maybe it's just that he isnt used to the fact that Kuroko is looking somewhere else, somewhere else aside from him.

This is stupid, Kagami argues to himself.

Just because Kuroko has confined to him, just because Kuroko seems to fit beside him, he felt as if he is ultimately indispensable to him—which he knows is stupid.

Kuroko is  _more._  He isn't just any hybrid, he's powerful and admittedly striking. Though still some would often discuss his origin, that is something that has long been off Kagami's sight. Kuroko's origin is never something he truly cares about.

There is something greater than the blood that runs in veins, it's the warmth hidden beneath his cold emotionless blue eyes, it's the tenderness behind his sharp words, it's the way he smack the senses back to Kagami and it is basically everything he do. It's his flaws. it's his fault and his small smiles.

Kuroko's refusal to be separated from Kagami and his seemingly strange  _connection_  to Kagami doesn't help the angel's delusion of his irreplaceable presence towards Kuroko.

He shouldn't think like this, he knows Kuroko has a mind of his own, people he will meet and Kagami…Kagami's just an ordinary angel. There isn't anything particularly special about him, he is just him and it just happened that he was there when Kuroko arrived at the department.

If he wasn't the one he became partnered with…what could have happened?"

"It's quite surprising seeing you think."

Kagami almost shrieks uncharacteristically as he finds himself staring at the familiar sky blue eyes. Kagami sits up and Kuroko moves away before sitting down on beside the red head.

"You're early, that is new." Kuroko says disregarding the other's shrieks.

"W-What the hell, you could have knocked."

"I assumed you've gotten used to this." Kuroko says nonchalantly.

Kagami doesn't say anything but instead he sighs. Kuroko looks at him tilting his head to the side, obviously curious of the other's behaviour.

"Shouldn't you go back to assisting and supervising your cousin?" Kagami says.

The angel's eyes widen at his own words, they came out strangely sharper and much bitter which caused Kuroko to stiffen, his eyes widen for a brief moment when he caught the other's tone. Kagami looks away, he sounds jealous…which he cannot admit he is.

To Kagami's surprise Kuroko doesn't seem fazed of his actions instead the teal haired hybrid seems to smile, a very small one.

"No," Kuroko says, "I'm worried more of Furihata-san."

"Then shouldn't you go see how they are?"

"Is that you want?"

Kagami feels his face heat at the question, which is certainly unfair. What Kagami wants is…

"No." Kagami answers looking away, "I-I…you should stay."

Kagami hears Kuroko chuckles, its low almost impossible to hear, anyone would have missed it except him. The angel turns to the hybrid. His usually emotionless eyes are sparkling with something akin to joy and genuine fondness.

This is it, Kagami says to himself, yeah this is the same thing that has seemingly enchanted him from the start. Kagami feels bolder and reaches to touch the side of Kuroko's face, the teal haired doesn't flinch or move away, he leans to his touch before putting a hand over the red head's chest.

"Are you jealous of Akashi-kun?" Kuroko asks in a quiet voice.

Kagami doesn't answer for a moment and continues to caress his thumb against Kuroko's soft skin. They never spoke of what they actually are, partners, friends,  _lovers,_ but somehow this just seems to be natural. Kuroko's closeness, his hand on his chest, his soft breathe against his skin, the fell of the soft powder blue strands between Kagami's fingers as he run his hand through them, his faint vanilla scent whenever they are close.

"You shouldn't worry of him." Kuroko says as he leans close to Kagami. "There is certainly no one else who would be interested in the likes of me aside from you."

The red head sighs, Kuroko has this strange way of lowering his own value yet holding himself up high. Though he considers that he is indeed valuable, he finds himself unworthy of certain attention using his origin as an excuse. The angel however knows better, perhaps as they say it something that no one else can see.

One's heart is visible to everyone but themselves, it is the same for Kuroko.

Kagami moves his hand from Kuroko's cheek to the curve of his back before gently pulling the other into his arms. Kuroko doesn't protest and lazily snuggles against Kagami's chest.

"You do not know that for sure." Kagami replies.

"Hm?"

Kagami shakes his head and pulls Kuroko close to him, his small frame fits in Kagami's hold, his warmth seems to dissolve all the worries in the angel's mind a magic only the hybrid could inflict him. He kisses the top of his head making Kuroko press closer to him, his slender arms sneaks around his torso like a clingy little animal.

Kuroko inhales the angel's scent which reminds him of cool scent of the first rain of summer. It almost lulls him to sleep. It is incredibly comfortable right there despite the cramp space of the couch and the fact that they are inside their workplace.

"Hey you can't fall asleep." Kagami says noticing Kuroko's relaxed state in his hold.

"Why not?"

Kagami laughs, Kuroko looks up and props his chin in Kagami's chest looking at the red head with his big blue eyes. Kagami feels his face heat at the proximity.

"W-Well, we have work later." Kagami answers. His hand somehow unconsciously finds itself combing Kuroko's hair. "A-And i-if anyone saw—"

"If anyone saw what of it?"

Kagami blushes more, "T-They may think we're…uhm…you know."

Kuroko sighs looking away with a very small pout.

"What the hell is that for?" Kagami asks pertaining to the pout.

"You don't want to be seen by others with me, is that it?"

"W-What? N-No!" Kagami says.

Kuroko pulls away with a frown.

"Then?"

Kagami groans, well how can he subtly explain that he may have more than  _friendly_  intentions towards Kuroko and he  _may_  want to be  _more_? Kuroko stares at him waiting for his reply, he curses Kuroko's effect on him. He looks away, Kuroko may be just a bit of affectionate because he hasn't have anyone treating him kindly and seeing pass his descent.

"I—"

"Good morning!"

Kagami almost chokes in his breathe as he hears a familiar voice at the door, the duo turns to the door which opens to reveal a very interesting sight. Furihata walks in with a genuine smile, while Akashi follows closely behind him.

"Good morning Kuroko, Kagami." Furihata greets again.

"Good morning Furihata-san." Kuroko answers.

"I hope I didn't come in a bad time?" Furihata says as he walks to the counter.

Kagami shakes his head, "N-No, we were just talking."

"Oh I'll just get some coffee." The brunet says.

Kagami is stun to see Akashi following shortly behind Furihata like a baby chick to the mother hen, his eyes seems never to leave the brunet which is quite alarming and  _endearing_? Furihata pours himself a black coffee in a mug in the corner as Akashi walks closer watching every movement with sharp eyes.

"Are they okay?" Kagami asks quietly to Kuroko.

"I think so."

"Akashi looks like he's gonna eat Furi."

Kuroko laughs. Just then, Akashi puts his hand in Furihata's hips startling the hybrid and Kagami who is watching.

"Kuroko—"

"A-Akashi-kun you can't do that."

Kagami blinks, he turns back to the sight and finds Akashi chuckling and raising both his hands in the air.

"Yes, of course." Akashi answers.

"Eh?" Kagami's eyes widen.

"I think they'll be alright for now." Kuroko says.

…

.

.

.

"What?!"

Aida has braced herself for this, hands over her ears she waited for this—Kagami's reaction. Aida removes them and sighs.

Because Halloween is nearing more and more trouble are coming, they need  _more_  than usual forces around the department and there isn't enough people to supervise the newbies. With a little discussion with the rest of the department, they decided to put some of the highest performing partners a small breather from the usual job by putting them as the new trainee supervisors—which means Kagami and Kuroko will be supervising two different groups  _individually_.

"No!" Kagami says sounding like a whining child. "I don't want to be responsible for new recruits!"

"Don't be childish now." Aida says, "Kuroko-kun doesn't seem to have any problem with it."

Kuroko nods, "It would be wonderful to have a new experience.

Aida smiles, ah, the beauty of Kuroko's kindness and cooperation. The brunette hands over a band for the two to indicate their new— _temporary_ —post.

"Don't worry it will be only until Halloween is over." Aida assures.

Kuroko turns towards Kagami and puts the band on Kagami's arm. Kagami grumbles something under his breath as Kuroko secures the band with a safety pin. The sight made Aida smile to herself, they both look natural together and seeing them away from each other would be a new challenge to the two. They have this strange symbiotic relationship that seems exclusively for each other. No one seems to dominate the relationship, they both seem to pedal their systems to work at the same phase.

"By the way," Aida says as Kagami takes Kuroko's band and starts to pin it to the hybrid's uniform, "since Akashi is relatively new he'll also be included in the training, along with Furihata."

"Ha?" Kagami answers his eyes still glued to his work. "Furihata can certainly train that guy, he's just a pain in the a—"

"Kagami-kun."

Kagami shuts up quickly at Kuroko's warning.

"Well, I know Furihata can manage but still it will be good if he is taught along with the others right?"

Kagami didn't understand the logic but decides to go along with it. As soon Aida explains their posts and their tasks, she deploys them to each group. It is relatively uneventful, excluding from the fact that Akashi didn't seem interested in anything at all except well Furihata. His mismatched eyes seems to trail everything Furihata do, and he is  _smiling_  so sweetly almost giving Kagami shivers.

"Kagami?"

Kagami turns around and almost shrieks as he finds Furihata holding in his arms a pale little girl in a grey dress, his hair is long and covering almost most of her features except her big black eyes staring right at Kagami. Kagami steps back feeling a sweat drop beside his head, it's definitely a human creation a ghost child.

"Ah, sorry." Furihata says with a smile, "I saw Himeko here, you don't mind me carrying her along right?"

"A-Are you alright?" Kagami asks.

Furihata nods, the ghost child seems to like Furihata a lot too she doesn't seem very frightening in Furihata's hold either so maybe…

"I-I guess." Kagami says.

"Is that a child?"

Furihata turns to answer his partner with a nod, the brunet flashes Akashi one of his genuine smiles.

"She's Himeko." Furihata chirps, "She's a ghost child that has quite a shy and fearful disposition."

Akashi blinks. Well, the child has quite a similarity with Furihata in that matter but…

_"Ah!"_

Kagami quickly turns to the other side of the room, his eyes widen as he found a massive creature holding up a figure. The new recruits all ran to evacuate the area as the sound of alarm rings in the room. The loud grumble of the creature's sound echoes in the room but before Kagami's communication device rings to inform him he has dashed to the sight.

"W-Wait Kagami!"

Furihata follows close running as fast as he could, he could see now a figure within the grasps of the octopus like creature, his teal hair could be seen even in the far, and despite the hold Kuroko seems to be fighting the creature on his own trying to remove it's slippery tentacles off him. As soon as they got close, their intercom buzzes in their ears and they hear Kiyoshi's voice.

"W-What the hell is this Kiyoshi?!" Kagami demanded, his heart is pounding loudly in his ears, this is why he never wanted to be separated from Kuroko. The idiot will think he can always reason out things. Well unfortunately not every creature that humankind do are given reason.

_"It's a Kraken."_  Kiyoshi's voice explains from the other line,  _"It seems to have gotten quite rough and has left its container."_

"How is everyone else? Is there anyone else who is hurt?" Furihata asks.

_"Luckily, no._ " Kiyoshi answers,  _"Everyone except well, Kuroko-kun it seems."_

Without another word, Kagami removes his bindings and transforms into his true form. His wings spreads proudly from his back, it's feather's resembles his hair, wine red mostly and dark, almost black, tips. His usual uniform is replaced by a silver light but durable armor. His sun tan skin sports with light silver markings.

Furihata turns to Akashi who is silently watching the creature and Kuroko, his eyes unereable, despite their blood relation, the angel doesn't seem alarmed at all. He remained with a placid expression.

"Akashi-kun."

Akashi looks at Furihata and smiles. "What is it?"

Furihata puts Himeko down and puts a hand on her back, with a sheepish smile he looks at Akashi.

"I-I'm sorry to asked this but could you possibly look after her for a while?"

Akashi looks at the little girl, he blinks before looking up at Furihata and smiling.

"Of course."

Furihata smiles and bows his head in thanks. Himeko looks at Furihata for a while before hesitantly walking to Akashi's side. As soon as Furihata has deemed the creation is safe, he turns to face their problem.

He removes his bindings as well and transforms, unlike Kagami's beautiful silver armor, Furihata sports simply a thick black sleeveless turtleneck, a vulnerable form for an impure bloodline. However, contrary to usual belief, Furihata's wings are not a small, they are medium size however they were ashen in color and most of it feathers has sharp edges as if they were not meant to be touch. Akashi somehow found himself frowning at fate, wings are intimate things for angels, they are purposely made beautiful to attract a partner however in a nephilim's case they are made like this to do the opposite.

Kagami lunches himself to the air fast and powerful with his massive wings, he quickly attends to Kuroko but he is quickly apprehended by one of the tentacles of the creature. Akashi could hear Kuroko calling the other in concern. As the creature seems to turn its attention briefly to Kagami, Furihata took the chance. He flew right where Kuroko is.

Akashi watches his lips twitches at the sight. Furihata grabs the tentacle around Kuroko as he says something. Kuroko nods and uses his strength to slip away from the creatures hold in time with Furihata pulling the creatures away.

"Furi, Kuroko watch out!"

Akashi gasps as he finds another tentacle of the monstrous creature sweeping across to swat the two with a unfathomable force.

His heart drops to his gut for the first time in his life.

His throat dries up.

He steps forward and puts a hand over his chest to remove his bindings.

"Where are you…going?"

Akashi turns to his side and finds Himeko there clutching the sleeve of his uniform.

Akashi smiles.

"Well unfortunately I don't really care about you."

Akashi shakes her hold and proceeds to remove his bindings. His form is bright, his wings big and wide and his armor are mixture of gold and silver. He doesn't waste any more second as he flew to where Kagami is heading. The angel of passion quickly removes the rumbles of the walls where the impact was made, wasting no minute or two.

"Kuroko!"

Blue eyes blinks, Kagami doesn't waste any more second, he wraps Kuroko in his arms, his wide wings encasing the hybrid in a protective embrace. Kuroko lazily drapes his arms around Kagami's torso feeling a bit lightheaded. Blood gushes in the side of his head.

"I'm alright Kagami-kun."

Kagami nods but his hold tightens to the other.

Meanwhile Akashi gently puts the unconscious brunet in the corner, a bluish-purple bruise starts to form in the other's lower lip, a gash bleeds slightly just in the side of his head, his hands and arm is filled with ugly protective wounds. It made his chest tight to look at him like that. He feels a strange heat fill him, his eyes turns to the monster wreaking havoc in the room. Suddenly he didn't care anymore.

He moves away from Furihata and summons his broad sword.

"Oi what are you planning?"

Akashi heard Kagami speak but he doesn't pay attention to him. He steadily walks towards the creature. He flew with speed above the creature avoiding its attack with ease. And with the strike of a blinding light everything ends.

.

.

.

Furihata feels his head throb, he blinks his eyes open and he finds a familiar figure sitting beside his legs. Akashi is looking away, he can also hear voice, someone is talking. Pulling his strength back, the nephilim sits up, his eyes blinks. The kraken isn't there anymore and everything seems back to normal.

"Ah Furihata-kun, you're alright."

Furihata turns to find Kuroko wearing an overzied jacket around his shoulders. His uniform seems to have been reduced to shreds by the attack earlier. Kuroko doesn't seem to be in any better condition than he is but he's thankful nonetheless.

"Y-Yeah, I just got knocked out." Furihata says, "W-What happened?"

"Well, it seems that someone saved the day."

Furihata hears Takao's voice. He turns and finds Takao and Aida walking towards them. Aida hurries with concern in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry!" she says, "I wasn't able to come and help."

Kagami shakes his head, "It's alright, Akashi handled it."

Takao nods, "Yes but we still need a report for that."

"Understandable." Akashi answers.

"Akashi-kun?"

Akashi turns to Furihata. "What is it?"

"Where is…Himeko?"

"Hime—what?" Takao asks raising an eyebrow.

"It's the little girl." Kagami answers.

Akashi is silent, he doesn't look away from Furihata who seems to be waiting for the other's answer.

"Ah…she must have gotten scared, perhaps she ran away."

Furihata's eyes widen at Akashi's answer. His lips tremble, Himeko…is just a child and Akashi doesn't know where she is now after all that?

"Y-You're guessing."

"Yes." Akashi answers honestly.

Furihata feels his heart is trampled right in front of his eyes with Akashi's cold demeanor. He doesn't even seem as if he regrets his decision, it is as if he did what is natural for him to.

"O-Of course." Furihata's voice breaks, he grabs Akashi's arms with his trembling hands, "S-She's just a child."

Akashi frowns he removes Furihata's hands off him and held them quite tight, his fake smile leaves him.

"She is not a child, she is simply a creation of mankind which if you ask me is not of importance." Akashi says as he lets go of the brunet. He looks at him with a harden expression. "Between you and a creation of mankind such as her it is obvious who will I choose?"

Furihata's eyes widen, his eyes starts to bream with tears. His lips tremble.

"N-No way…why…Why would you?"

As tears starts to spill, the room fills with silence except for Furihata's sobs and sniffles. Akashi doesn't answer back anymore, there is nothing he can really say in the situation.

"I…I just wish…I just wish y-you had more faith in me." Akashi's eyes widen at Furihata's words. "I-I just wished you trusted me enough, I-I just wished that you didn't…leave her side."

With a shaking will and a tender heart Furihata calls Takao's attention.

"Takao?"

"Y-Yeah?"

With a tear stained face, Furihata looks up, his smile for formality's sake appears in his lips.

"I need a favour."

"S-Sure."

"I think Akashi-kun needs a new partner." Furihata says making Akashi eyes widen, shaking his world. "I don't think I can take any more than this."


	4. Difference

_"I'm sure you will grow up just like Masaomi."_

_Akashi stares at his grandmother, the beautiful angel of victory stood in front of him, eyes glistens with wisdom of the thousand mankind's lives. His grandmother had always told him how much he resembled his father, intelligent, beautiful and powerful._

_His mother and father both came from long lines of pure angels. They are traditionalist and there are very little questions to that. His father came from long lines of powerful angels who fought once in the age of war while his mother came from a family that was known to paint the sky with seasons and colors. There weren't much to tell about their union, it was fixed marriage._

_His mother being the eldest daughter of the other party presented her to the only son of the Akashi clan, his father found her company pleasing and her intelligence useful for the future. The two mutually agreed upon the union and not long after, Akashi Seijuuro was born._

_His parents both told him that his birth brought delight to both of their families. He never truly questioned this due to the warm treatment he has always received from them. His father had always took special care in his lectures, while his mother fostered him with tenderness, even his grandmother and grandfather showered him with nothing less than what is best for a fledgling._

_However somehow everyone felt distant to each other, it was as if everyone lived in their own bubble. His father and mother sat beside each other every meal and yet they seem indifferent, his mother would chuckle and giggle at his father's antics and yet it felt empty, their sweetness, kindness, and care echoes in the emptiness inside him._

_"Do you love me?"_

_Akashi asked his grandmother who stood there. The angel's eyes blinked twice before she chuckled, she knelt down to her grandson's level and her soft hands reaches to the short red locks of the fledgling._

_"I adore you of course."_

_Akashi shook his head, "Grandmother, do you love me?"_

_His grandmother is quiet for a moment her expression never changing._

_"Of course I do."_

_Akashi stares…did she even knew what love meant?_

_If she did perhaps it did not came across to the fledgling because he never learned what love meant._

_._

_._

_._

Kuroko stands quietly in the hallways to the dormitory for employees, his eyes are busy with the sight of the report in his hand, after the incident he obviously needs to write up an incident report for Aida and Takao. He sighs to himself feeling the sting left in the side of his head, Kagami made quite a fuss over the incident and almost begged him to take the rest of the day off, he beg to disagree.

His lips quirk to a secretive smile as he is reminded of the concern painting Kagami's face, the angel of passion is quite impressive in his true form. Kuroko wouldn't openly admit but he liked Kagami's big and wide dark red wings, they reminded him of wine just like his eyes. The angel's form truly made him feel more secure, the mere sight of him in such form is simply enough for him to know everything will be alright.

Perhaps it is some innate feature of angels?

_Tap tap tap_

_-_ Or not.

Kuroko sighs as the sound of familiar footsteps echoed in the hallways, he feels a headache coming as he raises his head from the reports to welcome the sight of his cousin. Despite the blank almost calm expression in the scarlet haired angel's face, Kuroko could sense the other's desperation. Honestly, the teal haired hybrid is surprised with the brunet nephilim's decision a moment ago, everyone knew Furihata has quite a soft spot however no one has seen him as upset as he was a moment ago.

"Tetsuya." Akashi calls the teal haired hybrid standing there.

"Hello Akashi-kun."

Akashi doesn't know where to begin, his emotions inside are spinning, he couldn't truly fish which one is even dominant right at the moment. He feels angry, frustrated, confused, lonely, sad, agitated and hopeless. Words died in his mouth, what was he thinking going right there in the dormitory, does he think Kuroko will help him?

"I…Why?"

Kuroko blinks and tilts his head in the side, "What do you mean why?"

Akashi clenches his fist in his side. He just wants to talk to Furihata, maybe he will change his mind, and he's like that right? Or maybe he's being cruel to him? Is this a punishment?

"I don't understand why I was given such sanction. What have I done wrong?"

Kuroko sighs, "I'm not the one who can answer that."

Akashi looks straight at Kuroko in the eyes, to the hybrid's surprise for the first time since knowing the other he saw desperation there in the heterochromatic eyes of the angel that was held with so much respect and pride. For the first time since knowing him, the hybrid has seen the other looked so helpless and vulnerable.

"How do I speak to him, tell me how do I convince him to face me?"

"What's up with this?"

Kuroko looks behind Akashi and sees Kagami walking towards them, frown in his lips. The tall red haired angel walks to the two and instinctively hides Kuroko behind his broad back. His eyes settled in Akashi in a quiet staring battle, Akashi's mood is stirs sourly with Kagami's aura of possessiveness towards his cousin.

The two's closeness somehow does no good with the current predicament Akashi has, his expression fell, and his eyes glows dangerously at the taller male.

"This is none of your bus—"

_Creak!_

"Ah?"

Three colourful heads turns to the source of the noise and finds a door open, two brown eyes blinks at the unfamiliar sight before him.

"Furi."

"Ah h-hello I—"

Before Furihata is able to finish his sentence he finds Akashi dashing to the opened door, the angel quickly grabbed the door handle to prevent the brunet from closing it before him.

"Ah w-wait—"

Furihata's words fall in deaf ear as Akashi forcefully makes his way into the room while pushing the nephilim inside. He hears Kagami calls his name behind the door but it is quickly muffled as Akashi closes and locks the door behind him. The brunet staggers back, eyes on the angel before him, he tries to read his expression, is he angry, upset, or what?

As soon as Akashi inhales the familiar scent of Furihata's room—mixed of cinnamon and the scent of book, his speeding thoughts starts to slow down. He closes his eyes for a while before opening them to stare at the quivering figure of the nephilim.

.

.

.

_"You should let it go, I think you're hurting it."_

_Akashi frowns at his cousin's suggestion, the two fledgling were no more than seven years in human age at that moment. This is one of the rare occasions that Akashi sees his cousin, his father didn't really agree very much of the two's interaction seeing that his cousin was of a 'tainted blood' however his mother insisted saying that the fledgling has taken more of her sister than her sister's husband and there was nothing to be worried of. The two were playing at the yard of the Akashi clan when the scarlet haired fledgling found a bird and caught it with his bare hands._

_"No." Akashi answered as he tightened his grip on the animal, it squirmed in his hold and pecked it's way out of his hold._

_"You are hurting it, do you intend to kill it?" Kuroko asked._

_"I intend to keep it."_

_"You won't be able to keep it if it is dead."_

_Akashi shook his head, "No, if I would let go it would leave."_

_"Of course it will."_

_"Then I don't care if I hurt it, as long as I am able to keep it."_

.

.

.

"A-Akashi-kun w-what are you—"

"What are you doing?" Akashi asks quickly.

His eyes scans the room, there are numerous books from the shelves currently stacked on the floor leaving some of the shelves bare. There are papers, scattered all over the place, he's searching already. Akashi turns his eyes at the brunet again and noticed the red leather bound book in the other's hand.

"We're you looking for  _her_?"

Furihata blinks and nods sheepishly, as soon as Himeko disappeared he felt the compulsion to make sure that the little girl is at least alive. He ran quickly to his room to find her book. The nephilim looks down on the book in his hand, there was a wave of relief when he found the girl's name still etched on the book, her story intact, she's alive.

"That's good."

Furihata's eyes quickly snap up at the angel's words, "Ah yes she—"

_SLAM_

Furihata gasps as he hears the loud slam of Akashi's palm against the wall just behind him. Furihata's brown eyes stare at Akashi's cold mismatched eyes staring deep into him. He could almost feel the angel's warmth from the miniscule distance between them. Akashi presses closer.

"I demand an explanation." Akashi says, his voice low and drips with venom making shiver run up Furihata's spine.

Furihata's senses told him this situation is dangerous, he felt like a small animal presented right before a beast. He could feel the heat of Akashi's power dangerously sipping from the other.

_Anger._

Akashi stares at Furihata, his body shakes, how can someone do this to him, someone so… _so_ small? Is he trying to purposely get into his nerves, doesn't he see his intentions, what was wrong with the way he behaved? He saved him and yet what he got is this?

Why?

_Why?_

It is an alien feeling, this frustration, this anger, this confusion, it seeps into his bone, drowns him, filling his lungs then suffocating him. He has never wanted anything so bad before, he has never failed this bad before. He has powers most angels would desire and yet he feels lost and helpless in the mercy of a quivering mess with a mop of unruly brown hair.

His hand reaches down to the side of the nephilim's face, the gash right above his eyebrow is carefully covered with clean gauze but he could still see the slight red around the area. He inches closer taking in the sight of the brunet, he could feel him trembling under his whole.

"Do you perhaps…hate me now?"

Brown eyes blinks at him, cheeks flush pink.

"I-It's not l-like that…"

The nephilim's answer tentatively relieved some pressure in the angel's chest, his lips curved in a smirk trying his best to stay calm and composed.

"Then do you  _like_  me?"

Furihata feels his face flush darker at the other's question, he feels Akashi gently strokes his thumb against his cheek. One of Akashi's free hand reaches behind his neck stroking the nape of his neck soothingly as if asking him to simply submit. The nephilim bit is lower lip suppressing the strange pull he is feeling, a desire to simply lean to that warm and welcoming touch.

"T-That's…Stop." Furihata says as he places his hands against Akashi's chest and inevitably putting a significant distance between them. "T-That's not gonna work."

Akashi inevitably stops his ministration, a heavy feeling sets in his chest as their current position. With Furihata's hand against his chest pushing him away, a very clear sign of rejection. A dull ache inside him caused to lit a fire into another feeling.

"I-I was acting out of anger then…but just as I thought it was not a wrong decision."

_No. Say this is a mere elaborate joke_ —the angel silently begs as he watches Furihata lower his head and pushes him away for a bit more.

"I don't understand you…we… _this_  is not going to work."

The angel's eyes widen at the other's words.

.

.

.

_"I won't be visiting anymore."_

_Akashi blinks and looked at his cousin. The teal haired hybrid stared at him with his big blue eyes._

_"Why?"_

_"Dad was right."_

_Akashi blinks, Kuroko's father a demon dared to tell his cousin not to see him anymore? Akashi frowned._

_"Your father is a demon, demons lie."_

_"But I am a demon too."_

_Akashi was silenced._

_"Akashi-kun and I are different."_

.

.

.

"Because…B-Because we're different. W-We don't have to be bound to each other like that." Furihata says with a trembling voice, "It's not that I hate you…but I just don't understand what you're thinking."

Akashi frowns at the bitter words.  _Different_ , that word used to made him feel special, he was different from anybody else, he was above them all, it made him feel great but right then it tasted like a bitter medicine shoved down his throat.

His eyes scans the nephilim's features, indeed they were different. There were barely any angelic aura from him, at first glance he could even be mistaken as a human, plain, vulnerable and meek. Akashi's gloved hand reaches to the unruly brunet locks, they were soft,  _so frail_  just the rest of him.

"If that's how it is, I honestly don't understand your methods either. Why couldn't you end it, or why did you allow your personal feelings affect your work and suffer more than necessary." Akashi's hand moves just beside the other's lips he pauses, the cut in the brunet's lips is visible and it makes him remember the rush of adrenaline pumping in his body when he saw him swatted like a fly by the gigantic creature. Why does he allow himself to become like a mess like this for others? He could have saved himself first, he should have worried more of himself.

"You're soft and that makes you suffer more." Akashi says before inching closer into the brunet's personal space, "I guess that's what you're good at,  _making me angry._ "

"So pitiful." Akashi says as he strokes the brunet's lower lip where the cut is, "if you have only ended it there you wouldn't have been this hurt."

_SMACK_

Akashi's eyes widen.

"No!" Furihata exclaims rigidly.

Akashi stares, the bitterness inside his chest is swallowing him slowly, he could feel his inside burning. His eyes inevitably focus on the injuries of the brunet, a cut lip, a gash in the head and bandaged hands and arms. Even at such state he still refuses to take in consideration such method, even if it would cost him his life.

Does he even value himself?

"It's a bad habit isn't it?" Akashi says as he is reminded of what Aida said the moment he introduced Furihata.

Furihata saw himself as a small insignificant figure, he probably has been made to believe with the fact that he is after all a nephilim. Nephilim were treated a subcitizens, for a very long time they were treated as abomination. There was nothing worse than a crime of producing a nephilim then, perhaps this was how he had acquired this habit of undermining his own value, others over his existence.

Furihata doesn't counter Akashi's accusation and simply presses his back against the wall as if attempting to make himself smaller than he already is.

"I see." Akashi simply says.

However, instead of leaving, the angel steps closer and sneaks his free hand on the nephilim's waist and pulls him against his chest. His other hand cups the other's face.

"But I am not patient."

Furihata gasps as Akashi presses is lips against the other's neck and down to the junction of the brunet's neck and shoulder.

"I do what I want, and even if someone says no I would ignore it and do it anyway whether you get hurt I don't care."

Akashi murmurs against the brunet's flush skin, his hands slowly moves in the other's body, sneaking inside the other's shirt caressing the curve of his waist and the arch of his lower back. His scent fills Akashi's nostrils like some sort of drug making him drunk and wanting more.

"W-What are you—Ah!"

Furihata winces in pain as he feels Akashi sinks his teeth against the other's flesh, the nephilim instinctively grips the angel's shirt.

"I-It hurts—"

"Or maybe I do care but that is beside the point." Akashi says as he pulls away, his teeth marks were visible in the other's skin like a brand of ownership. A primal instinct rejoiced at the sight as he pulls the brunet's face close to his.

Furihata's eyes widen at the word  _care._  There was something about the way Akashi's eyes glisten when he uttered the word, he isn't sure but somehow…it seems as if his cold eyes softened. Before Furihata could think straight Akashi leans close and remove the gap between them.

"Mn!"

Contrary to the angel's prior actions, the way the angel pressed his lips against Furihata's is gentle, almost unfamiliar, it is careful almost hesitant. However as soon as Furihata melts into the warmth he finds himself drowning and the pace quickens. Akashi dominates the kiss, his scent floods the nephilim's senses intoxicatingly.

Akashi is no different, he finds the brunet's taste impossible to resist and the brunet's small suppressed moans is doing his self-control several damages. He angles his head to the side and gains more access to the other's mouth, it is just as he imagine it, warm, inviting,  _sinful_.

_More._

Akashi could feel his wings tingly in his back itching to be spread, to display his glory at his  _potential_  mate and impress him make him want him just as he desperately do.

Pulling away from the kiss, smiles at the brunet.

"I am a gentleman, I guess I would leave it for now at this." Akashi says with a smile.

Furihata blinks at him, his face flush red and his chest heaving for air. He almost thought the angel would take him right then and there. His clothes are disarray and he could still feel the heat of Akashi's hands over his body.

Akashi looks around the room as if looking for something. Furihata observes the scarlet haired angel, his smile and expression barely changed in the course of their discussion and yet he knew he made the other angry. However what made Furihata wonder is what exactly the other is angry for?

"Come to think of it." Akashi starts as he picks up the book on the floor, Furihata accidentally let go of the book during their conversation. He browses through the pages before looking at the brunet, "You said she's still alive."

Furihata's eyes quickly turn at the object. He tries to reach for it but Akashi quickly raises it away from the brunet's reach.

"W-Wait please she's just—"

"How about this, let's make a bet."

Furihata blinks.

"If I found her….you would grant my request."

Furihata feels his heart drum loudly in his chest. Akashi has only asked him of one thing since his arrival…Furihata looks away, however if it were him…perhaps he could…really find the child? With a frail determination, the nephilim looks at the other and nods.

"A-Alright."


	5. WINGS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM BAAAACK!!! I'm so sorry for the late update, as you guys know I'm currently now working and my boss is pretty strict with time so yeah I can only slip writing at home. I hope you forgive me for the very late update!  
> Also I wanna thank everyone who left Army of Angels a comment, kudos and bookmarks!!! Thank you very much, I've wanted to write an H&H inspired story for Akafuri for a very long time but I was a bit hesitant since at first Mananan and Monday's character are very mysterious, their background story still has many holes to get filled which I'm afraid to just simply fill on my own. Thankfully Season 2 is making things easier for me now since I can already see where their story is going. Ahahahaha I want to make special mention of Qikdaelum too IM SOOOOOO IN LOVE WITH THE ONESHOT YOU MAKE BTW I'm so sorry if I rarely comment on your work and often when I do I'm an anonymous ^^' since I log in my account only when I'm updating but reading I'm often do it randomly. I'm so happy you like Army of Angels.
> 
>  
> 
> Hope you guys like the update and please let me know what you think!

Kuroko couldn’t agree more perhaps this is the most comical scene he has ever seen in his life yet. He tries to put a hand over his lips to hide the growing smile in his lips. Standing right before him is Kagami with a sour look in his face and beside him is his cousin with an obviously fake smile.

“Well for now this will be our arrangement.” Takao says with a clap. “Since we can’t leave Akashi on his own because he’s new we have to improvise.”

“I thought before changing partners they must be consulted first!” Kagami complains.

“Yep.” Takao says with a smile, “And Kuroko agreed!”

“What?!” Kagami exclaims loudly. “But what about me?!”

Kuroko stares at his partner with a blank expression.

“Then would you rather I take your place as Akashi-kun’s partner?” Kuroko says, “I won’t mind since we’ve known each other for a while and—“

Kagami’s eyes widen at that, Kuroko and Akashi? The weird, eccentric hell bent on getting back his cousin to the angel side Akashi as Kuroko’s partner? No way!

“A-Alright!” Kagami says with a groan, “I-I get it, I-I’ll be his partner for a while. Only for a while, okay?”

Takao nods, “We’ll look for anyone who may want to be teamed up with Akashi soon, until then Kuroko will be working independently and Kagami will be Akashi’s partner.”

Akashi smiles confidently.

“There is no need.” He says, “Furihata-san will surely change his mind soon.”

Kagami sneaks a glance at Akashi, somehow despite the well-kept expression of composure and grace Kagami can see a tinge of something akin to frustration and bitterness. This side of him almost resembles Kuroko. His pride doesn’t seem to waver but something inside him is crumbling bit by bit. He could have fooled anyone.

“Alright, now that everything is set, we can start working!” Takao says cheerfully before slinging an arm to Kuroko’s. “Good luck you two!”

.

.

.

Kagami sighs, as he thought managing the containment boxes isn’t for him, his feet is somehow itching for field work and somehow he feels this strange emptiness without Kuroko’s thin yet warm presence next to him. Akashi’s presence is overwhelming, even without looking he can feel the other behind him—whatever the hell he is doing. Thinking about the other reels him back to the incident yesterday, Furihata is one of the most tenured employees of Teiko, and despite that he is seemingly the first person you can easily get along with. He is meek and kind to everyone, his patience is amusingly long for almost anything which surprises Kagami when he quickly blurts out that he wants to change partners.

Though honestly he didn’t really expect Akashi to stay for a long time with anyone with such attitude, however somehow Kagami felt bad for thinking that way, a part of him somehow is truly surprised, maybe it was the way Furihata said it—as if he was clutching his own heart too. His small quivering voice accompanied by those tear stained face.

“I am glad Tetsuya agreed.” Akashi speaks breaking the growing silence between them.

“Tough luck for me.” Kagami answers without turning to look at the scarlet haired angel.

“Well as I said I can always change and surely Tetsuya will agree—“

“No you won’t!” Kagami says as he turns and throws a glare at the other.

Akashi smiles, “Well then that’s great, let’s pretend to get along for a while at the moment.”

Kagami curses under his breath and turns back to the screen in front of him, his trained eyes quickly checks on each containment boxes making sure they are well and not damaged. Damaged boxes may allow the mankind’s creation to escape and cause trouble for the rest of the department, though they are in the romance department which usually doesn’t have much dangerous creations—except for the suicidal maniac characters, or the aggressive antagonists—but no one can be too lenient.

“My cousin seems to have a terrible taste for a mate.”

“Ha?”

“If he sees you as such, I guess he has inherited his mother’s awful taste for a mate.”

Kagami’s face quickly heats up at the comment. He quickly turns around and finds the other looking at him with a placid expression.

“W-What the hell are you—“

“Why am I wrong?” Akashi asks simply, “And you seem to have the same thing in your mind, am I correct?”

“W-What?”

“Aren’t you courting my cousin in hope to be his mate?”

“H-How did you—“

“It is simply obvious. It would be odder to think you two are simply _close friends_.”

“W-Well…” Kagami shifts his attention away sighing. “But I can’t believe Kuroko said that you asked Furi to have your child.”

Akashi blinks lowering the screen in his hand before tilting his head to the side.

“Why is that a minus point?”

Kagami almost chokes in his own breathe at the other’s answer. He has almost forgotten that Akashi Seijuuro has been homeschooled since he was a child until he entered Teiko. He feels sweat dripping in the side of his head.

“T-This isn’t some kind of test though.” Kagami says with another sigh.

Kuroko may be oblivious at some times but his cousin is worse.

“Didn’t they teach you how to approach people while you were being homeschooled?” Kagami asks scratching the back of his neck.

“I was only taught practical skills…the elders at home…” Akashi tries to think of a moment when he was taught on how to engage to a probable future mate however now that he thought of it, those exact methods are the ones he used to gain Furihata’s attention but ending him where he is right now, a quivering brunet and a sad excuse of courtship. “I guess it’s not very useful though.”

“And your parents?”

“My mother and father had an arranged marriage.” Akashi answers without batting an eye.

Kagami couldn’t believe he’s hearing this, when Kuroko told him his cousin is a very special case he thought he was simply brought up in an environment with nothing but angels, but now he can hear it from him he could see that his attitude difficulty stems deeper. His mother and father were married for the sake of continuing a long lineage, he was kept in a safe and secured environment and was made to believe their principles is the only truth. Somehow Kagami could understand now why Kuroko’s mother chose to leave her family.

If Kuroko’s mother didn’t leave…he wonders if they were even allowed to meet.

“Kagami Taiga?”

“What?”

“What is…love?”

Kagami’s eyes widen as he almost trips in an invisible crack on the floor, he spins and faces Akashi whose expression is a mixture of pure confusion and self-doubt, an expression he didn’t know the other could summon.

“Angels are born to serve God, they love God and serve him completely.” Akashi says remembering each and every words of his predecessors that was told to him more times than he can count since he was a child. “And even now that many have overcome such limitations, if they weren’t born with the ability to live that way, they simply live their lives for God. And that is why I am curious. I was told that as an angel, my love solely belongs to God…but Furihata-san is not purely an angel, so how do his likes, and others like _you_ live out their love lives.”

“I’m an angel too you know.” Kagami says with his eyebrow twitching in slight annoyance.

“But don’t you love my cousin?”

Kagami blushes at the word.

“W-Well o-of course.”

“How did you know?”

Kagami’s eyes widen at the question. How did he know? How did he know that he has fallen for Kuroko, how did he know he didn’t want anyone else, how did he know he really is the one he loves most?

“There…is no set method. You just realize it for yourself.” Kagami answers, “Before I knew it I just…I was thinking about him and waiting to do things together with him, whether it’s eating lunch or sitting in the same room. And then without no logical reason I can be just sad or happy with one single word he says. Or maybe it is the way he can be surprisingly caring, or the way his hair would stand up almost defying gravity when he just wakes up, the way his lips would turn when he doesn’t like something, and the fact that I may be one of the few who can tell. Maybe it’s the way he resorts to violence even if he promised so many times he wouldn’t…basically, it’s everything about him.”

Akashi quietly stares at Kagami as the other speaks and pours his heart out, strangely the other’s wild wine colored eyes seems to soften whenever he mentions Kuroko. His voice seems gentler, kinder and warmer. He probably doesn’t know it himself but the red head is smiling as he talks.

His mind brings him back to his past, he remember asking his grandmother is she loves him and he was never given a proper answer. He was told that love is an superficial ideal if it given to anyone but God for they are angels who are born from God’s breath and so their lives must only be spent to serve him, to love no one else but God. Yet if that is true, then what is Kagami?

“It seems harder than I originally thought.” He whispers to himself.

Kagami’s attention is caught by Akashi’s whisper, he turns to him and start to speak.

“I don’t think you’re a bad guy.”

Akashi’s eyes widen at the other’s words.

“I believe that you’re not the kind of person who would purposely let someone else get hurt. I just think you didn’t do this for fun.” Kagami says with a firm tone. “That’s why I think you should just apologize.”

Akashi stares at Kagami for a moment, his lips tremble as he finds the right words. Apologize. It sounds simply yet…

“I think you should mind your situation with Tetsuya instead, why don’t you just ask him to be your mate.” Akashi says with a flat tone.

Kagami’s eyes widen, it’s a bitter topic. He knows Kuroko doesn’t hate him, however to say that Kuroko feels the _very same_ way as he does is quite a stretch. Being close as they are is one thing and being mates is a whole different thing. Being mates is a lifelong commitment to be with someone, a binding that cannot be cut not even in death, and something like that is…

“…That’s…if he doesn’t feel the same way I could lose him and I…”

“You’re being ridiculous.” Akashi cuts him, his jaundicing eyes stares at the taller angel. “Of course you, you aren’t God after all. If you keep delaying things what do you think will happen? Everything will be taken away from you.”

Kagami is silent for a moment, he stands firm in his spot and stares at the other and smirks back.

“Are you telling me that…or to yourself?”

Akashi smirks back, “At the very least I can tell Furihata-san that I like him in that way.”

Kagami feels his eyebrow twitch.

“You know what, I take all those back and I just wish Furi would just reject you already.”

Akashi lets out an airy laugh, “You think so? Personally, I think it will work out just fine.”

“Where the hell do you even get that confidence from?

Kagami huffs loudly and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Furi is just being nice to you. I feel bad for him.”

.

.

.

.

“Ahahaha!”

Takao’s loud laugh echoes in the shower room as he finds Kagami and Akashi there. Scratches and bruises are apparent in the two’s faces obviously from a brawl. The raven haired angel has expected this already but seeing it really happening is more entertaining.

“You two had gotten close quickly.” Takao says with sarcasm as he unbuttons his own shirt. “Also please get a permission to find the crack in the cubes. If _it_ is hiding somewhere, it should be nearby.”

Kagami glances back at Akashi who neatly places his dirty clothes in his locker. The scarlet haired angel has seemingly asked permission from Takao to find Himeko while on duty, which despite the other not telling Kagami himself the other has roughly gotten the idea.

“Don’t make it sound so easy.” Kagami says with a sigh. “I wonder whose fault that is.”

Takao chuckles as he steps into the shower.

“Well even if what I said is true, we’ve been having a lot of containment boxes due to Halloween and it could get in anywhere for all we know.” He says as he turns the shower on. “It may take an awful long time!”

Kagami sighs and turns his back from Takao and starts the shower for himself. Akashi soon follows quietly.

“But then again everyone knows first loves don’t really work out.” Takao says without removing the cheeriness in his voice, “You shouldn’t push yourself too hard Aka—“

Takao stops mid-sentence when he feels the shower’s temperature rises, he could feel anger in the air, thick and murky. He turns to the two and finds Akashi and Kagami staring at him with fierceness. Takao drops his antics quickly at the touchy topic.

“I-I was just kidding though.”

Kagami huffs and quickly turns to finish his shower, Akashi follows suite.

As soon as the three are finished, they begin to redress.

“That reminds me.” Takao says, “The employee dormitories are off-limits for now.”

“Oh, isn’t Furi staying at the employee dorms?” Kagami asks.

“Oh yeah. They’re reconstructing the bathrooms so it probably won’t take too long.” Takao says. “Well he’s probably gonna stay somewhere else for the meantime.”

“Weird, it feels like this is the first time Furi is ever going home.” Kagami adds.

“Well he hasn’t seen his partner for a while so it must be a nice change.” Takao says idly.

_THUD_

Takao turns with a smirk as he finds Akashi staring blankly at him with his towel on the floor.

“Oh you didn’t know right?” Takao says with a smile.

.

.

.

Akashi’s feet are loud against the abandoned hallways as he hurries towards the familiar room. As soon as he is right before the door, he takes the doorknob—it’s open, he twist it and opens the door. His eyes quickly lands into the empty room. It is cold and there he couldn’t smell that strange scent of cinnamon.

_“I guess it’s techinically an ex-partner.” Takao says. “It’s nothing to be surprised about…they were pretty close you know.  I’m sure he regrets it but since he can spend some uninterrupted time together with someone **precious** to him..._

_It sure must be a relief.”_

Akashi stands there with Takao’s words echoing in his mind. Someone precious to Furihata…of course he would have someone like that, he may be a nephilim but still surely…

Bitterness stirs inside him like a quiet storm, his heart aches at the thought, he was there making silly of himself but Furihata for all he knows, does he even truly care? There are others in Furihata’s life so much kinder than Akashi could ever be, more honest and more caring, he isn’t any of those which obviously means one thing. Why would Furihata even fall for him? It’s just impossible.

It’s…just ridiculous.

And yet…why?

Akashi closes the door to the room and turns back to the hallway.

…

It has been exactly three days since Furihata has decided to change partners, since then Furihata hasn’t seen the scarlet haired angel and to be honest his words haunts and somehow a part of him waits for the other to pull his stubborn personality and return to him. The days without the red head is uneventful, usually he would bump into Kuroko in the middle of his shift. The other’s small talks somehow relieves his tension. The other seems so unlike his cousin.

“So far so good.” Furihata tells the teal haired hybrid.

Kuroko nods with a small smile. However Furihata’s focus is quickly caught by a feeling of someone’s eyes trailing him, he looks up and his eyes widen as he finds heterochromatic eyes staring at him but as soon as their eyes met the other quickly turns away. Somehow he feels something ache inside his chest as he watches the other turn his back on him without a word.

“Furihata-kun?”

Furihata turns to look at Kuroko with a smile.

“I-It’s…it’s nothing.” He says with a quivering voice.

.

.

.

.

Akashi pants as he stares at the ruined containment box in front of him, his sweat is cold against his skin.

“I’ve found you finally.” He says.

The big gray eyes looks up at Akashi, long dark hair reaching down her hips.

“We should get her out before this box collapses.” Kagami says as he stands behind Akashi.

Akashi nods and quickly outstretched his arms for the girl.

“Come.” He says.

The little girl gasps and stands up, instead of coming close to Akashi she steps back making Kagami’s eyes widen. The condition of the containment box quickly worsen in any haste movement making Kagami feel his heart race per second. He shifts his eyes towards Akashi.

“Wait didn’t you promise you would apologize first to her before convincing her to come with you?!”

“I’m not a reformer though.” Akashi simply says. “I am not even sure if that would work.”

Kagami sighs.

“Sometimes you have to do something even if you know you’re bad at it.”

Akashi stares for a few seconds at the taller angel before turning towards Himeko. The ghost child stares at Akashi quivering. If Furihata is here surely it would have been easier. Somehow everyone seems to feel at ease at the nephilim’s presence…it is exactly the opposite for him.

“Himeko…right?” Akashi starts. “The truth is I do not really care about you…or more correctly, you are simply outside my business but…I do regret leaving you back then.”

The ghost child lifts her head to look at Akashi as if verifying if his words are genuine.

“It was careless of me, I am at fault and for that I apologize.” He says in the softest voice he can summon, “Furihata-san…cares for you and misses you terribly…”

The ghost child’s eyes perks up and she starts to crawl slowly towards Akashi.

“I’m certain that you misses him…as much as I do.” Akashi says whispering the last part of his words. He puts his hand out for the Himeko. “I am not asking you to forgive me but you don’t need to be in this place.”

Himeko carefully reaches towards Akashi’s outstretched hand. Her small hands are cold to the touch and yet they were not unpleasant.

“Let’s go back to Furihata-san.”


	6. Loop

_As food were served before him, his big heterochromatic eyes follows the meek attendant. His lips opens up to speak but he stopped as he feels his grandmother’s hand over his small ones._

_“Do not thank them Seijuuro.”_

_The fledgling tilts his head to the side in curiosity._

_“Why? Isn’t it right that we thank others when they do something for us?”_

_His grandmother chuckled and shakes her head._

_“Everything that you ever need and want shall be given to you for that is due for you are an Akashi.” The lady said with a flat tone, “They are doing nothing to be thankful for, it is their duty to you to give you what is rightfully yours.”_

_Akashi stares and nods to his grandmother, he looks across the table where an empty seat next to his mother is. His lips curl to a frown._

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Akashi stares at the white tiles of the unfamiliar bathroom wall as water drenches his hair and body. The warm water eases his body that had grown tired from the past few days of nonstop working and exhaustion which he didn’t notice until now. Closing his eyes as the water slowly cascades down his face, he hears in the back of his mind Takao’s words. Furihata Kouki is simple and meek and all those behaviour perhaps were nothing but a display of his genuine personality—caring, humble and _warm,_ an exact opposite of him.

The word that used to made him feel better made him want to drain all the blood in his veins just to remove that mark that made him _different_ from him. He felt as if he close yet so enclosed, so far, from him. It is as if he’s seeing the same song in a different language, though it seems so near he can’t touch it.

_“I don’t think I can take it anymore.”_

_“We don’t have to be bound to each other.”_

_“I don’t understand Akashi-kun._ ”

Akashi feels the fire in his chest burn painfully for the first time. It feels hot, suffocating and miserable. The wings hidden in his back feels heavy like led, and his heart to which he didn’t know he has aches in a way he can’t explain. His lungs feel like it is filled with water while his body burns.

Love, is this love?

Akashi purses his lips, he wonders why Kagami looks so happy talking about love when it feels like his chest is getting ripped open and his world turning around along with everything he used to believe in.

…

Furihata sits down in the couch in the middle of his room, staring at his still bandaged hands, his lips quiver remembering the warmth of Akashi’s hand when he held them on the way there. Strangely the other’s warmth seem to fill that strange void he has since a few days ago, a feeling he didn’t even know he would have from someone.

Akashi is undoubtedly someone who is out of his league, he is _perfect_ in almost every sense, he could have anything he wants in flick of his fingers. Anything and yet…why him? Why would he go far to chase him this long, why would he waste his time to make those promises and actually keep them?

Well maybe he just simply have to give him what he wants and he will be done with him?

Furihata’s hand unconsciously slides on his flat stomach. Well if that’s the case—Furihata sighs, no that’s a bit too far for him. He can’t have a child to Akashi, not because he just wants to, not because he wants a strong offspring. He can’t do it.

“What are you thinking?”

Furihata gasps out loud hearing Akashi’s whisper close to his ear. He quickly scurries away and stares at the half-naked scarlet haired angel standing there with a small smile. The nephilim sighs with a hand over his chest.

After Akashi was able to find Himeko, the other insisted to complete their bargain, however surprisingly instead of jumping on him(not really an exaggeration on Furihata’s part) upon reaching the brunet’s room the scarlet haired angel simply asked to borrow the brunet’s bathroom saying looking around for Himeko seems to have made him sweat on his uniform terribly. Since that moment no words exchanged between them. It was both strange and nerve-wrecking.

“I…I want to thank you f-for f-finding Himeko.” Furihata says in a quiet voice.

“Hm, I was just doing what I promised to.”

Furihata looks up at Akashi, the other looks ahead staring at the shelves leaning against the walls of the brunet’s room. It is strange, the brunet thought to himself, somehow something tells him that the other is not saying something. Somehow his eyes seems colder than before, dull, and he dares to say ­ _sad_. He wonders why, is it because of his _wish_?

“I…I thought that maybe…if you do it with me…y-you’ll realize t-that I’m not really the person you should be looking at.” Furihata says making Akashi turn at him. “M-Maybe if we do it you’ll begin to lose interest in me.”

Akashi’s eyes widen at those words as he stares at Furihata’s blushing face. Now that he mentioned it he did somehow put it that way for the brunet, however in the past few days he had not once thought of _that_ though admittedly he did think about _him_. Holding him would make him lose interest, he wonders if that really is the case. Akashi leans his hand on the couch as he inches closer to the other taking in every feature on the other’s face, the small freckles scattered in his cheek almost invisible if not this close, the dark but thick eyelashes framing the other’s eyes perfectly, his quivering lips small but plump.

If Furihata was born any earlier perhaps he wouldn’t have been able to meet him, if he had been born in the Age of War, Furihata would have been hunted down, burnt, killed and tormented for simply existing. The thought sent Akashi in wave of confusion and fear, what would he then once they’ve done it, what will he do knowing he is next to nothing to him? Can he bear watching him from afar, smiling, pretending as if his heart doesn’t yearn for him?

Well two can play this game.

Akashi leans closer, his lips inches away from the other’s.

“Well I guess that would have made things simpler.” He says in a low voice, his warm hand slides down on the other’s thigh while his other hand cups the side of the brunet’s face, “Since you don’t like me and you find this annoying, yes?”

“E-Eh?”

Furihata’s eyes snaps up to Akashi red eyes staring at him with a lonely glow.

“Of course you’d want to get rid of me quickly.” Akashi says as his hand which rest on the other’s thigh slowly works to undo the other’s pants, “We should just make it quick.”

Furihata’s eyes widen at those words and his body starts to tremble, Akashi words are cold and merciless. His usual warmth seems to have changed to something unfamiliar, each vibration of the other’s voice are like a sharp icicle piercing into him without a warning. His heart crushes over the weight of the other’s needless stony words.

“Why…”

Akashi freezes as he sees a single drop of tear falls in his hand over the brunet’s half undone pants. Furihata’s smaller hands reaches over Akashi’s hand and pushes his hand away with his small sobs growing louder.

“Why?” he repeats again making Akashi look up at him. “Why do…only ever talk like that?”

Akashi feels all the air in his lungs disappears as he sees Furihata’s flushed cheeks and tears uncontrollably streaming down his face. Drops of his tears fell on the couch and on Akashi’s hand, it is cold against his skin as if stirring him out of a deep reverie.

“Didn’t you even consider…that I may feel hurt too? It’s fine if you ignore me, it’s fine if you use me but…”

“Furihata-san—“

“I don’t want to be treated like this by _you_.” Furihata says feeling the shameful tears fill his eyes, he lowers his head unconsciously hiding his face from the other. He feels Akashi’s hand sneaks to the side of his face, making him close his eyes, strangely they’ve become warmer now. “I know it doesn’t have to be me, I know there are many others better than me, b-but I…s-still I—“

“Furihata-san.”

“You can treat me better, can’t you?”

Furihata sobs loudly as he grips Akashi’s wrist feeling the other’s finger grow wet with his tears. He just wish he ccould really feel the same warmth from the other’s touch with the way he looks at him, treat him or speak to him. He wish he just…

“This is just…too cruel.” Furihata says in his broken voice.

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“Why?”

“Huh?”

Furihata lifts his head as he feels Akashi’s hand slightly tightens its hold and the other’s tone change. His brown eyes find mismatched eyes staring at him with confusion.

“Why are you talking like that?”

Furihata feels something tug in his heart as he looks at Akashi’s eyes, the coldness in them has faded and all that he can see is his own reflection in those beautiful orbs.

“The one who only wants you, the one that doesn’t want anyone else…is _me_.”

Furihata’s eyes widen at the other’s words which seem to be laced with misery and gloom for some reason, Akashi’s expression changed from its usual composed look, his eyebrows knits together as he looks at him like an expensive fragile vase. His thumb gently caress his cheek in a slow soothing manner as his eyes studies him carefully. His breathing is slow and quiet but somehow something told Furihata there is a storm behind those calmness, inside that chest.

“Do you think that the reason I kept my promise is that? Of course not, how miserable.” Akashi says whispering the last two words for himself. His hands slid down from Furihata’s face down on the couch. He lowers his head and stares at his empty palm. “I…I’ve never felt this miserable my whole life.”

Akashi closes his eyes as he remembers every bit of desperate calls he did, all the stupidity, all the absurdity, his failed attempts of showing affection, his pitiful display of his childish need and desire for attention. Life was supposed to be easy for an Akashi, he is powerful, beautiful, an pureblooded angel with a perfect upbringing and yet…nothing seems to come close, nothing seems to work, nothing seems to make sense and it hurts so much he doesn’t even know what to do with himself.

“I think about my mistakes. And even if I think about the evidence suggesting I should just give up…I…I still end up coming back to _you,_ here.” Akashi says in a quiet voice. He chuckles but it is empty, just like his chest, “There’s no way I’d become someone special to you…I know I stand no chance but still I waste my time on this and keep meaningless promises to you as an excuse. I’m useless but still…I can’t stop.”

Furihata couldn’t help but feel a mixture of feelings, for the first time since he met Akashi the angel looked actually like his age, small, naïve, helpless and confused. His words repeats and resounds in his empty heart, each syllable makes it skip a beat.

“I…can’t help but feel angry that I can’t be anyone special to you.”

Furihata feels his heart swells every passing second at Akashi’s confession, it is so different from the words Akashi said to him the first time they spoke in that room. It was full of desperation, it is almost as if he was begging for him to look at him which wasn’t supposed to be the case, right? Why would Akashi Seijuuro, prodigy of the long lines of pure blooded angels would ever go through such lengths right? He is Akashi Seijuuro, he doesn’t chase people, people chase him. But…there he is, so vulnerable and fragile in the mercy of just a simple word from Furihata.

To be special for Furihata, why would he even seek something like that, to him a nothing but a half-assed angel, an ashen winged angel with nothing to boast about.

“I…I don’t know what you mean by s-special. W-Why would you e-even—a-and there’s plenty o-of others b-beside me—“

“That’s not it.”

“A-And I-I’m a nephilim, o-other’s consider me as an abomination, y-you would b-be better off with a pure-blooded angel.”

“I don’t care.”

“And a-a c-child is a difficult thing to conceive e-even partly a-as an angel.”

“Then don’t worry about it.”

Silence falls between them as Furihata looks at Akashi whose head still hangs low.

“B-But…then I…that means…you don’t really need me, r-right?” Furihata says staring at Akashi, his tears finally stop.

If Akashi doesn’t need a child conceived and if Akashi no longer cares about their origin…why would he even need him anymore? He could have turn around and there are plenty of others, he could have chosen them instead, he could have given up on him when he realized Furihata is a nephilim and even if they do conceive a child it would be tremendously difficult for Akashi’s family to accept the idea, he could have left and moved on but…no, he’s not.

“T-This…doesn’t make sense.” Furihata finds himself saying.

“Whether you are weak, or the future with you is dim, none of that matters anymore because you’re Furihata Kouki.” Akashi says surprising Furihata, “Nothing else seems to matter more than that to me now, which is why I feel more miserable. It feels as if I am standing in a world that’s been flipped upside down.”

“W-What do you—“

“It’s possible, that I’ve fallen for you the very second I laid my eyes on you.”

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“Eh?!”

Furihata gasps as he feels his face flush hotter than ever at Akashi’s confession. His body trembles at the word, it seems surreal, Akashi Seijuuro in his most tender voice confessed to him like a sin to God that he has undeniably fallen in love with him, a meek, stupid, average nephilim.

“A-A-Akashi-k-kun…t-to me…b-but I—“

Akashi sighs, he pushes himself up. Now that he has said it, there’s nothing else left to do. Inevitably surely he will reject him and say that he cannot return his sentiment for there is someone else that he likes, someone he treasures well—just like what Takao said to him.

“I don’t have a chance anyway, I just wanted you to know.” He said as he turns around, “I apologize for my behaviour I will ex—“

“W-Wait!”

Akashi blinks as he feels Furihata’s small hands wrapped in his hand. He stops and turns to look at the brunet.

“W-What do you mean? I-I d-don’t have the slightest idea what you are talking about all t-this time. W-What do you mean by c-chance? What are you—“

Akashi sighs, he tries to remove the brunet’s hold.

“What do I mean? I meant your previous partner.”

“W-What a-about him?”

Akashi stares hard at the other, why is he acting so innocent now, is he baiting him?

“I heard you were _more_ than partners.”

Furihata nods.

“Yes, he is my older brother.”

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“Older?”

Furihata nods as Akashi’s expression slowly change into a grim expression.

“E-Eh? A-Akashi-kun?”

“It is illegal for a demon to kill an angel and vice versa, but there is no law that say angels can’t kill another angel, right?” Akashi says with a frightening grin, “It seems that I may have to talk with Takao later.”

Furihata chuckles catching Akashi’s entire attention, his flushed cheeks makes him look very young, his small hands, and his smile.

_“There’s no set method… I can be happy or sad with just one word from him.”_

His brother, huh? A small smile creeps in Akashi’s lips at the sight, he really does like him better with this expression with his button nose wrinkled, a big smile and his eyes close as he laughs. This, he decides, perhaps this is the most beautiful image he has seen yet.  Akashi sits back down on the couch and looks at Furihata.

“My brother retired from this department since he thought he lacks aptitude for it. I-I’m not alone for any particular reason. I-I’m sorry for making you worry.”

Akashi looks down at Furihata’s hand and slowly reaches to entwine his fingers with his.

“Does that mean that I have a chance with you…or do you perhaps hate me now?”

Furihata blushes and accept Akashi’s hand entwining itself with his. The angel’s hands are very warm now and comforting, it’s like the warmth of a fireplace on a cold winter night.

“H-Hate t-that’s—I-I don’t h-hate Akashi-kun.”

A gentle smile blooms in Akashi lips and to Furihata’s surprise the angel’s wings spreads out from his back showing a different glow of scarlet, orange and crimson. A warm feelings spreads out in his chest seeing the other’s wings in this form, it’s feathers seems so well groomed and at the same time strong, sturdy and graceful. Akashi’s free hand reaches to cup Furihata’s face tenderly.

“Then if you don’t hate me, is it the opposite?”

“O-Opposite?”

“Yes.” Akashi says inhaling the intoxicating scent of cinnamon from the brunet. “Do you like me too?”

Furihata shivers at the sensual tone of the angel.

“Y-You—T-That’s just, y-you know I’m bad at t-this!”

Akashi chuckles and inches closer lips almost touching the other’s.

“If you don’t hate me…please don’t be cold to me.”

Furihata feels the angel presses his lips on his for a light peck before finally kissing him full on the lips. Akashi’s hand entwined with Furihata’s hand sneaks down to the brunet’s waist pulling him closer as the angel licks and nibbles on the brunet’s lips. His body starts to feel warm in a way he had never felt before, it was like floating on a warm lake, it is quiet, peaceful and just perfect. Furihata’s hands reaches to the broad shoulder of the angel feeling the other’s skin under his fingertips smooth and warm.

Akashi pulls away and looks at the nephilim, he could feel his heart beating loudly on his chest, his wings spreads behind him wide in display of dominance and possession. Something in his mind screams to hold and never let that nephilim go.

“You need to tell me to stop now, or I we won’t be able to go back from before.”

Akashi’s eyes widen as he feels the brunet’s hand reaches the side of his face, his calloused fingertips though feels unfamiliar against his cold empty soul doesn’t seem repulsing. It feels perfect just like how the blue fits the sky or the cry of red and orange of the dusk.

 _“Kouki._ ”

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_SWOOOOSH_

“Shin-chan?”

Takao stands from his desk and peers over the balcony of his study where a tall green haired angel stood, his emerald eyes glows into bright green as he faces the vast sky before him.

“What’s wrong?” Takao asks.

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“A loop is getting established.”

 


End file.
